FMP Contextual research

1. FMP Contextual
Research
Amy Watson

2. Genre to which I intend to focus on
Animation

3. Practitioner No.1
Ray Harryhausen

4. Ray Harryhausen
Harryhausen was an American animator well known as the
mastermind behind the creation of Dynamation: a form of
animation embedded in the stop motion model animation
legacy.
Most of Harryhausen’s animations involved special effects that
brought more of the stories to the screen, and his work has
become one of the most inspirational legacies in the world of stop
motion.
After his death in 2013, he has been recognised as one of the
mainly inspiring legends of the genre in the minds of those who
wished to pursue a similar career.
His characters for the animations have been made in full detail to
make them more realistic looking, possibly to tell the story in
more detail.
From Animation Art (2005): ‘It came at the impressionable age of 13 when he walked into Grouman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood to see some ‘ape picture’ he knew little about. That movie was the 1933 smash hit King Kong and it
would set Harryhausen on the path to becoming the ‘father of modern visual effects’’.
From his school times, Harryhausen conducted experiments, which led to him gaining an opportunity to show his work to his idol, O’Brian
When he became 18, he landed his first professional job as working on the Puppetoons shorts that George Pal was producing at that
time for Paramount pictures .
‘
‘

5. Dynamation Harryhausen’s most popular innovation was known as Dynamation. It
was a term used for a stop motion technique that involved animated
models that were integrated into live action sequences. This
technique conducted more convincing and interesting composites
such as Cyclops giants and fighting skeletons. This effect was also
successful because it managed to transform a whole different form
of animation into a new format that totally changed the world of
animation. For generations, his technique has become something of
an inspiration, and that his impact and industry shall be remembered
forever.

6. Career History
After watching the film King Kong 3 many times, Harryhausen spent the majority of his school years experimenting, resulting in short films
were inspired by the burgeoning science fiction literary genre of the period.
1950 was the year where he became in charge of the production of The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, which became a major international box
office hit for Warner bros.
In 1964, Harryhausen made First Men in The Moon, which was his only film made in the 2.35:1 widescreen. It
was a box office disappointment at the time of its release. With the changes of management at Columbia
pictures along with the disappointment resulted in his contract not being renewed. In 1986, Harryhausen
formed the Ray & Diana Harryhausen Foundation, a charity in the U.K. and U.S. that preserves his collection of
films and promotes the art of stop-motion animation and Harryhausen's contributions to the genre of stop
motion animation.

7. Practitioner No.2
Nick Park

8. Nick Park
Nick Park is an animator working for the famous
Aardman company, who are the masterminds
behind most of the best animations today. Nick
is even the mastermind for some of Aardman’s
most iconic productions: Wallace & Gromit,
Creatures Comforts and Shaun the sheep, all of
which are highly success full, and that Creature
Comforts and two of the stories of Wallace and
Gromit achieved oscars for best animated film in
1990, 1994 and 1996.
Before working for Aardman, Park began
the production for A Grand Day Out but only
in 2 years he managed to make the first 10
minutes. When Park began looking for a job,
Aardman hired him and offered to help him
complete his production whilst he worked on
other projects. Overall, the film took 6 years
to make, and was broadcasted on television
in 1989. To everyone’s amazement, both A
Grand Day Out and Creature Comforts were
nominated for an Oscar for best animated
film in 1990.

9. Techniques on Wallace and Gromit
In order to make it a smooth animation, to match
Wallace’s mouth movement with the flexibility of
the vocals for the character, Park worked with
something called ‘Dope Sheets’ which broke
down the speech of the recordings in a frame by
frame fashion. This helped him to know exactly
what what kind of sound was being made by the
character at any point in the shot.

10. Career History
As a film student, Park created some first screen tests for Wallace and
Gromit. This boosted a thought in his mind to launch the character’s
careers, calling it A Grand day Out. Park joined Aardman Animations
in 1985, and during his career, he worked with them on other projects
such as the music video for Peter Gabriel’s song Sledgehammer,
which he worked on the part with the dancing oven cooked chickens.
Whilst in his career, he managed to complete A Grand Day Out, which
became a nomination of best animated film Oscar in 1990, one year
after its release. After the accomplishment of his first masterpiece,
Park then went on to make Creature Comforts, which was a
contribution piece to a series of shorts know as Lip Synch. The
concept of this production was the idea of people’s voices channeling
through plasticine animals within an English zoo, describing about
their homes and how well they are being looked after. Along with A
Grand Day Out, it was nominated for the same award in 1990, and
won the award in the outcome. With an award behind them, the
journey was proceeding. Park had an idea for a new Wallace and
Gromit film, and with the backing of the BBC, the work for the film
began almost immediately. Park was keen to make the film The
Wrong Trousers like a real movie, as he believed he was in a different
board game (metaphorically). The Wrong Trousers came out in 1993,
as still today, is one of the most successful animated films ver made,
with over 30 awards, one for every minute of its length, and one of
those awards was the 1994 Oscar for best animated film. A couple of
years later, a story was ‘invented’ ;-). A Close Shave brought the idea
of Wallace falling in love, as well has having a cyber dog as the villain.
However, what didn’t change was the franchise success, as the film
won the best animated film Oscar once again in 1996. Over the years,
more films of Park’s prized creations came out, such as The Curse Of
The Were Rabbit and A Matter of Loaf and Death. The characters
even appeared in a number of adverts like Npower and DFS. Still
today, the characters are something of an international favourite, and
it’s all thanks to the mind of Nick Park.

11. Practitioner No.3
Art Clokey

12. Art Clokey
Clokey was the mastermind behind one of the
most unforgettable stop motion characters ever
made: Gumby. Similar to Morph, Gumby was a one
coloured simple designed character with not a lot
of detailed features, and that the character
resembles like that of a person.
Clokey also created some experimental and inventive
short clay animations for adults, including his first
student film Gumbasia
In 1995, Clokey and another
animator teamed up to make
Gumby: The Movie, however it did
not succeed at the box office and
was widely panned by critics.

13. More about Gumby
Gumby is the little green humanoid character who appears in most episodes of
his show with his pet horse Pokey, who is voiced by Clokey himself. Their
nemesis is the G and J letter blocks, and there is a whole other variety of
characters that join Gumby on his wacky adventures.

14. Career History
Clokey made a few experimental and visually inventive short films for adults, which included
his first student film Gumbasia, which came out in 1955, as well as Mandala, which came out
in 1977. It was described by Clokey as a ‘metaphor for evolving human consciousness’.
Samuel G. Engel was so intrigued by Gumbasia, that he financed the film for what became
The Gumby Show in 1957.
In 1987, Clokey provided the voice for the character of Pokey in The Puppetoon Movie,
and had voiced him ever since. In 1995, Clokey made Gumby: The Movie. However, it
was not a success at the box office, and was widely panned by critics.

15. Theories
Audience Theory
As a whole, this form of entertainment would effect a Mass audience because it would
be shown globally in cinemas and big screens, plus it would appeal to a wide range of
audiences. As these are referred to as a ‘Broadcast’ audience, they would watch this
because most animations are based on reality, but presented in a different way.
Uses & Gratifications
As this theory analyses the thought of reason for watching these films, the most likely
reason would be the idea of Diversion (escapism). This is because of the partial realistic
moments found within these films, such as The Wrong Trousers, where Wallace and
Gromit have a lodger come to stay with them, but the lodger is a criminal, and that at the
beginning, Wallace has to deal with financial problems. So when they reel in the criminal
at the end and gain the reward money, it solves their problems. Throughout the film, the
key parts such as the robbery and the ending with cheese seems realistic and in a way
some people may do in the world. However, some parts are considered not realistic such
s the fact that the criminal is in fact a penguin, and it is not normal everyday for a
penguin to rob a museum. This proves that this genre of entertainment has both sides of
reality within and that animators use both sides to create unique plots.

16. Reflection
What elements will I be including within my product?
I will include similar techniques and character features to my project in order to make
it smooth and simple. Also, I will make the elements within it seem funny and comedic
because I am aiming to make it a family friendly video.